Newham Council has officially backed a call for electoral reform, joining a growing chorus advocating for changes to the UK's voting system, including support for proportional representation.

The motion, which passed unanimously at a full council meeting on Monday 13 July 2026, reiterates the council's support for fair votes and calls for the establishment of a national commission to investigate electoral reform.

Councillor Joe Hudson-Small, who proposed the motion on behalf of the Green Group, highlighted the perceived unfairness of the current First Past the Post (FPTP) system, stating that it leads to wasted and ignored votes. He pointed to recent election results, both nationally and locally, as evidence of the system's unrepresentativeness. Councillor Hudson-Small stated that over 70% of votes cast in the last general election made no real difference to the outcome, and that some seats are won with barely more than a quarter of the vote. He also cited the recent Local Election results in Newham, which saw the council under no overall control for the first time in decades, as demonstrating shifting voter priorities and an appetite for pluralism. He noted that some individual seats were decided by as few as three votes.

Our electoral system should command public confidence and deliver representative outcomes which satisfy residents – so we support initiatives to review the electoral system, the motion states. The current FPTP electoral system is not fit for purpose, and its continued use would further erode trust in politics.

The council has resolved to write to Newham's three MPs – Uma Kumaran, James Asser, and Sir Stephen Timms – urging them to support an amendment to the Representation of the People Bill. This amendment, tabled by Labour MP Alex Sobel, proposes the creation of a national commission to review how MPs are elected and assess the fairness and representativeness of the current system. Councillor Dr Chae Ho Hwang, who seconded the motion, emphasised the need for a voting system that allows the electorate to express their preferences more clearly, stating, A solitary cross in a box cannot be the complete answer for how anybody can feel. She clarified that Mr Sobel's amendment is to establish a national commission to review the current general election system and make recommendations for reform, without committing to specific changes at this point.

The motion also calls for the council to write to His Majesty's Government, asking for their support for the proposed amendment. Furthermore, it requests that Newham's MPs clarify their positions on electoral reform and proportional representation with both the council and the public. The proposed amendment by Alex Sobel MP was initially set to be debated the following day but was pushed back to September, to allow time for the incoming Burnham government to make their own tweaks.

The council's previous cross-party support for electoral reform was noted, with the motion referencing a similar motion passed in June 2022. The recent local election results, which saw the council under no overall control for the first time in decades, were cited as further evidence of shifting voter priorities and an appetite for pluralism.

Councillor Ibrahim Ibrahim, speaking on behalf of the Green Street West ward, supported the motion but expressed caution about potential implications for opposition parties, while still favouring the debate being opened and supporting the motion. He noted that the Reform Party would have 94 members of Parliament under proportional representation, and the Green Party would have had 44 councillors instead of four under such a system. He also stated that the proposed commission would review the current system and assess if it provides fair and representative outcomes.

The motion specifically calls for the creation of a national commission to investigate electoral reform and asks Newham's MPs to support an amendment to the Representation of the People Bill that would establish this commission. The motion also expresses support for proportional representation. Councillor Hudson-Small noted that the proposed amendment by Alex Sobel MP is cross-party and backed by over 100 MPs from Labour, Green, Liberal, and other parties. He also noted that the current First Past the Post (FPTP) system is used by only the UK and Belarus in Europe, and some US states are adopting ranked-choice voting. The motion itself expresses support for electoral reform and proportional representation, believing it could lead to increased turnout, engagement, better representation, and 'meaningfully better outcomes for people in our borough and across the country.'

Supplementary Agenda - Response to questions 13th-Jul-2026 19.00 Council Supplementary Agenda 1 Green group amendment to Motion 4 13th-Jul-2026 19.00 Council